, August 7: Tibetans and supporters gathered Tuesday evening at the TCV day school in McLeod Ganj for a candle light vigil to express solidarity with Karma Nyedon Gyatso, the 38 year old Tibetan monk who died minutes after setting himself on fire Monday at Boudhanath stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The vigil was jointly organized by the regional chapters of Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women’s Association and Students for a Free Tibet, India.

“Since 2009, we've seen 121 self immolations in Tibet and two in Nepal this year alone. China is flexing its control in Nepal too, something we witnessed when Drupchen Tsering self immolated in February 2013 and his body was denied the final Buddhist cremation rites by Nepal,” said Rashi Jauhri, Deputy Program Director of SFT India. “China's increasing pressure on the Tibetan community is evident here and it's time that all countries come together and take multilateral action against China's brutal oppression in Tibet.”

Another Tibetan monk named Drupchen Tsering died on February 13 this year after he set himself on fire near the holy Boudhanath stupa.